Colletes atacamensis Janvier, 1955

(Figs. 6A–F)

Colletes atacamensis Janvier, 1955: 316; Toro 1986: 122; 1999: 26; Moure & Urban 2002: 4; Moure et al. 2007: 678; Kuhlmann et al. 2009: 296; Montalva & Ruz 2010: 21; Ascher & Pickering 2017.

Syntypes ♀ and ♂ (not examined). {whereabouts unknown}.

Colletes atacamensis Moure, 1956: 204 (junior homonym of Colletes atacamensis Janvier, 1955). Holotype ♀ (examined). {DZUP}.

Colletes atacamanus Moure, 1997: 513 [new name for Colletes atacamensis Moure (not Janvier)]; Moure & Urban 2002: 4; Moure et al. 2007: 678. Synonymy proposed by Toro (1999: 26).

Diagnosis. Colletes atacamensis is easily recognizable due to the remarkably coarse punctation on T1 (coarser than that on mesepisternum), which differentiates it from all other species of the genus found in Chile, except the male C. simulatus n. sp. However, the males of these species can be distinguished from each other by the absence of black hairs on the paraocular area and mesosomal dorsum in C. atacamensis (pubescence on paraocular area and mesosomal dorsum with off-white and black hairs intermixed in C. simulatus n. sp.); and mesoscutum moderately densely punctate (i=1–1.5d) in C. atacamensis (mesoscutum densely punctate (i=0.5d) in C. simulatus n. sp.).

Redescription. FEMALE (Figs. 6A, 6C, 6E): Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 7.5–7.9; head width 2.8–2.9; head length 2.2–2.3; intertegular distance 1.9–2.2; forewing length 6.5–6.9.

Colouration: Black except pale-yellow on tibial spurs, marginal zones of T1–T5 and S1–S5. Reddish-brown on distal half of tarsal claws; marked on distal 1/3 of mandible. Dark-brown on wing veins, distitarsi (except distal 1/5 pale-brown). Pale-brown on stigma, proximal half of tarsal claws.

Structure: Labrum medially concave; concavity margined by lateral ridges. Clypeal mid-longitudinal area evenly shallowly and narrowly (0.3x MOD) depressed; adjacent lateral area convex; apicomedial ridge absent. Malar area ~1.3x as long as basal depth of mandible (30:23). F1 ~1.1x as long as its apical width (39:36). UID:LID (58:54). Genal area concave behind upper summit of compound eyes in lateral view. Dorsolateral angle of pronotum modified into a spine. Horizontal surface of metapostnotum ~0.9x as long as metanotum (52:58); metapostnotal pits poorly-delimited; posterior transverse carina straight and complete. Posteromedial surface of front coxa without spine. Posterior hind tibial spur ciliate. Hind basitarsus ~3.7x longer than broad (48:13). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws ~2.8x as long as inner rami (40:14). Posterolateral area of S6 flat and lacking carina; marginal zone depressed.

Pubescence: Pale-yellow, plumose, erect, moderately long on lateral slopes of clypeus and supraclypeal area, paraocular and interantennal areas, frontal area, mesoscutum, scutellum, posteroventral surface of front trochanter and femur, ventral surface of mid and hind coxae, ventral margin of mid femur, S1; such hairs long on vertexal and genal areas (except moderately short behind eye), metanotum, mesepisternum, metepisternum, ventral surface of mid and hind trochanters, T1; very long on upper margin of lateral surface of propodeum. Bright-yellow, suberect, moderately short setae on dorsal surface of front and mid tibiae; such hairs erect, moderately long on mandible, dorsal surface of mid and hind tibiae and basitarsi; very long on posterior margin of mid and hind tarsi. Brightyellow, suberect, thick setae on ventral surface of mid and hind tarsi; bright-orange, thickest towards distal margin. Pale-yellow, suberect, very long hairs, which are branched only apically on anterior surface of hind femur and tibia.

Pale-yellow, dense appressed hairs on T1 laterally and T2–T5. S2 with pale-yellow, erect, moderately short hairs, which are branched only apically. S3–S6 with moderately short, erect setae; plumose, suberect hairs on marginal zones (except S6).

Surface sculpture: Clypeus shiny throughout; mid-longitudinal depression densely and moderately finely punctate; adjacent convex area largely impunctate. Malar area longitudinally striate. Supraclypeal area with very sparse coarse punctures (except densely punctate on lateral slopes); interspaces smooth and shiny. Paraocular area densely and moderately finely punctate (except punctures crowded near malar area). Frontal area densely and moderately coarsely punctate; interspaces rugulose. Vertexal area punctures crowded and moderately coarse; sparser and finer towards compound eye. Mesoscutum, scutellum and mesepisternum moderately sparsely and moderately coarsely punctate (except sparsely punctate on scutellar anterior 1/3); interspaces smooth and shiny. Metanotum densely and moderately coarsely punctate; interspaces rugulose but somewhat shiny. Metepisternum rugulose above and below; obliquely striate medially. Lateral surface of propodeum densely and moderately coarsely punctate on upper 1/4; sparsely and coarsely punctate on lower 3/4; interspaces rugulose but somewhat shiny. Upper area of vertical surface of metapostnotum rugose medially. Metasomal terga densely punctate; strongly coarsely punctate on T1; punctures progressively finer towards T5; interspaces smooth and shiny throughout. Metasomal sterna moderately sparsely and moderately finely punctate; interspaces imbricate.

MALE (Figs. 6B, 6D, 6F). As in female, except for usual secondary sexual characteristics and as follows:

Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 6.9–7.4; head width 2.6–2.8; head length 2.1–2.2; intertegular distance 1.5–1.8; forewing length 6.1–6.4.

Colouration: Tegula dark-brown. Wing veins pale-brown (except vein R of forewing dark-brown).

Structure: Malar area 2x as long as basal depth of mandible (38:19). F1 ~0.9x as long as its apical width (42:45). UID:LID (60:48). Horizontal surface of metapostnotum ~0.8x as long as metanotum (34:44); metapostnotal pits well-delimited; posterior transverse carina sinuous. Hind basitarsus ~4.1x longer than broad (49:12). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws ~1.3x as long as inner rami (24:18). Marginal zone of S6 not depressed. S7, S8 and genital capsule as in Figs. 7A, 7B, 7C, respectively.

Pubescence: Off-white throughout. Mesoscutum and scutellum with long hairs. Dorsal surface of mid and hind basitarsi with long setae. S2 with plumose hairs only. Plumose hairs on marginal zones of S3–S6 erect.

Surface sculpture: Frontal and vertexal areas punctures crowded throughout. Lateral surface of propodeum with rugose interspaces. Metasomal sterna finely punctate.

Material studied. Primary type specimen: Holotype ♀ of C. atacamensis Moure (not Janvier)—“ S. Pedro; 16- xi-46; Atacama ”. “HOLOTIPO”. “ Colletes ♀; atacamensis; P. Moure det 1948”. {DZUP}.

Secondary type specimens: Paratypes ♀♀ and ♂♂ of C. atacamensis Moure (not Janvier)— CHILE—Region II: San Pedro de Atacama, 16/xi/1946, [G.Kuschel], 5♀♀ 3♂♂, {DZUP}.

Additional specimens: CHILE — Region XV: Arica, (-18.486, -70.317), 120m, 1♂, {MHNP}. San Miguel Azapa, (-18.520, -70.160), 346m, 29/x/2000, [L.Packer], 1♂, {PCYU}; idem, except iii/1995, [Arriagada], 1♂, {AMNH}. Mollinos, (-18.383, -69.945), 1005m, 14/ii/1993, [L.Peña], 1♀, {AMNH}. Quebrada Azapa, (-18.519, - 70.155), 432m, ix/1968, [D.Hoz], 1♀, {AMNH}. Yala-yala, (-19.310, -69.419), 2460m, 11/iv/2004, [L.Packer], 2♀♀, {PCYU}. Region I: 22km E of Pozo Almonte, (-20.251, -69.580), 1057m, 22/ix/2013, [Almeida & Packer], 6♂♂, {RPSP}. 23km E of Pozo Almonte, (-20.251, -69.555), 1081m, 22/ix/2013, [Almeida & Packer], 4♀♀ 13♂♂, {RPSP}. E of Pozo Almonte, (-20.252, -69.581), 1057m, 6/ii/2013, [Postlethwaite & Monckton], 4♂♂, {PCYU}; idem, except 9/iv/2004, [L.Packer], 2♀♀3♂♂; idem, except 17/iv/2004, [L.Packer], 1♀. Highway 687 km 7.8, (-20.252, -69.581), 1056m, 4/xi/2013, [S.Monckton], 1♀, {PCYU}. Parque Nacional Pampa del Tamarugal, (-20.474, -69.684), 990m, 26/x/2000, [L.Packer], 2♂♂, {PCYU}. Pozo Almonte, (-20.141, -69.363), 2013m, 27/ix/2013, [L.Packer], 1♂, {PCYU}. Region II: 5km S of Toconao, (-23.267, -67.997), 2457m, 25/iii/ 2000, [L.Packer], 1♀, {PCYU}. 32km of Toconao, 12/x/2001, [Packer & Fraser], 1♂, {PCYU}. Aguas Verdes, i/ 1992, [H.Toro], 1♀, {PUCV}. Calama, (-22.428, -68.917), 2303m, ii/1992, [L.Peña], 1♂, {AMNH}. Chiu-Chiu, (- 22.337, -68.615), 2555m,, 30/iii/2000, [L.Packer], 1♀ 3♂♂, {PCYU}. Lasana, (-22.266, -68.621), 2701m, xi/1996, [U.Peña], 8♂♂, {AMNH}. Maria Elena, (-22.342, -69.644), 1269m, 14/xi/1997, [L.Packer], 1♂, {PCYU}. Quillagua, (-21.663, -69.529), 848m, x/1966, [L.Peña], 1♂, {AMNH}; idem, except x/1969, [H.Toro], 1♂. San Pedro de Atacama, (-22.923, -68.166), 2426m, 22/xi/2002, [Grixti & Zayed], 2♀♀, {PCYU}; idem, except 7/i/ 1971, [W.Sielfeld], 1♂, {AMNH}; idem, except 20/ii/1960, [L.Peña], 4♀♀, {AMNH}; idem, except 16/xi/1946, 1♀, {KUNHM}. W of Rio Grande, (-22.665, -68.230), 3078m, 21/x/2013, [Postlethwaite & Monckton], 1♀ 2♂♂, {PCYU}. PERU—Tacna: Tacna, (-17.998, -70.273), 763m, 13/xi/1955, [L.Peña], 1♂, {KUNHM}.

Range. Chile (Regions XV, I, II), Peru (Tacna). See also Fig. 3C.

Biogeographic distribution. South American transition zone: Desert and Atacama provinces. Northern Chilean and southern Peruvian species distributed in both summer and winter rainfall areas, at altitudes of 100– 3100m a.s.l.

DNA barcode. Available. BOLD: AAJ6725 (3♀♀6♂♂). Distance from the nearest neighbour (C. fulvipes): 9.06–9.34%.

Floral hosts. Leguminosae— Caesalpinia sp. (this study); Medicago sativa L. (Toro 1999); Prosopis alba Griseb. (Toro 1999); P. tamarugo Phil. (Toro 1999).

Comments. Although C. atacamensis has a comparatively limited geographic distribution in Chile (Regions XV–II, but also found in the Peruvian region of Tacna), the species is relatively common in most of its range.

Several attempts to locate the female and male syntypes of C. atacamensis Janvier at the MNHP, where these type specimens were speculated to be deposited (Moure & Urban 2002: 4), were unsuccessful (A. Touret-Alby, pers. comm.). Thus, final decision on its identity was made based on the original description, and by comparison with specimens previously identified by H. Toro, who synonymized C. atacamanus under C. atacamensis Janvier (Toro 1999: 26).